What is Face ID? How Apple’s facial recognition works for the iPhone and iPad Pro

FACIAL recognition has the potential to revolutionise the security of our devices, and it’s already available on some very popular gadgets – including the iPhone and new iPad Pro. But what is it, how does it work, and is it racist? We’ve got all the answers below. What is facial recognition? Once the preserve of sci-fi movies, facial recognition is now a mainstream technology. Basically, it’s a way of identifying or verifying who a person by scanning their face with a computer. Its main use is to make sure a person is who they say there are – like Apple’s Face ID, which uses facial recognition to unlock the new iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XR and new iPad Pro. But it can also be used to identify people in crowds. Chinese police are using smart glasses linked up to a database of faces to spot criminals at railway stations, for instance. How does facial recognition work? Apple’s Face ID explained There are lots of different ways facial recognition can work. For example, some Samsung phones use iris scanners to verify your identity using your eyes. But the most common method of facial recognition will identify features on your entire face. Apple’s Face ID for the iPhone is probably the most well-known facial recognition system, and it’s not massively complicated. Here are the steps your phone takes: The phone will use various sensors to work out how much light it needs to illuminate your face It then floods your face… [Read full story]